Tackling the issue of boat wakes

Big Rideau Lake cottagers and residents will likely be interested in the initiative of a nearby township in Eastern Ontario, which is petitioning the federal government to introduce new temporary rules restricting boaters' wakes along the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Last week, the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands passed a motion calling for wakes to be restricted to 15 inches — or approximately 38 centimetres — within 300 metres of the shoreline.

Wakes have been causing significant damage to properties along the seaway this year, as heavy spring rainfall has meant the water level is about 75 centimetres higher than normal, said Jeff Lackie, the councillor who introduced the motion.